diff --git a/pmctl/main.go b/pmctl/main.go
index c6f66109..169ca59b 100644
--- a/pmctl/main.go
+++ b/pmctl/main.go
@@ -89,35 +89,5 @@ func initPmCtl(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return errors.New("please supply the database directory using the --db flag")
 	}
 
-	// check if we are root/admin for self upgrade
-	userInfo, err := user.Current()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	switch runtime.GOOS {
-	case "linux":
-		if userInfo.Username != "root" {
-			return nil
-		}
-	case "windows":
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(userInfo.Username, "SYSTEM") { // is this correct?
-			return nil
-		}
-	}
-
-	err = removeOldBin()
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("%s warning: failed to remove old upgrade: %s\n", logPrefix, err)
-	}
-
-	update := checkForUpgrade()
-	if update != nil {
-		err = doSelfUpgrade(update)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("%s failed to upgrade self: %s", logPrefix, err)
-		}
-		fmt.Println("upgraded portmaster-control")
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pmctl/upgrade.go b/pmctl/upgrade.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 142840a8..00000000
--- a/pmctl/upgrade.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,124 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"io"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"runtime"
-
-	"github.com/safing/portbase/info"
-	"github.com/safing/portmaster/updates"
-)
-
-var (
-	oldBinSuffix = "-old"
-)
-
-func checkForUpgrade() (update *updates.File) {
-	info := info.GetInfo()
-	file, err := updates.GetLocalPlatformFile("control/portmaster-control")
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if info.Version != file.Version() {
-		return file
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func doSelfUpgrade(file *updates.File) error {
-
-	// FIXME: fix permissions if needed
-
-	// get destination
-	dst, err := os.Executable()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	dst, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(dst)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// mv destination
-	err = os.Rename(dst, dst+oldBinSuffix)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// hard link
-	err = os.Link(file.Path(), dst)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("%s failed to hardlink self upgrade: %s, will copy...\n", logPrefix, err)
-		err = copyFile(file.Path(), dst)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	// check permission
-	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
-		info, err := os.Stat(dst)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get file info on %s: %s", dst, err)
-		}
-		if info.Mode() != 0755 {
-			err := os.Chmod(dst, 0755)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to set permissions on %s: %s", dst, err)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func copyFile(srcPath, dstPath string) (err error) {
-	srcFile, err := os.Open(srcPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	defer srcFile.Close()
-
-	dstFile, err := os.Create(dstPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	defer func() {
-		closeErr := dstFile.Close()
-		if err == nil {
-			err = closeErr
-		}
-	}()
-
-	_, err = io.Copy(dstFile, srcFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	err = dstFile.Sync()
-	return
-}
-
-func removeOldBin() error {
-	// get location
-	dst, err := os.Executable()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	dst, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(dst)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// delete old
-	err = os.Remove(dst + oldBinSuffix)
-	if err != nil {
-		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			return err
-		}
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	fmt.Println("removed previous portmaster-control")
-	return nil
-}